Visitor information

The home of mountain biking in the Forest of Dean

The award-winning Forest of Dean Cycle Centre is one of the UK's most popular trail centres. Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned pro, we've got the perfect summertime forest ride waiting for you.

Fun for every rider

  • Green trails: Perfect for families and first-timers, with a gentle route to enjoy at your own pace through warm, shady woodland.
  • Blue trails: Build your confidence on flowing singletrack with fun features, surrounded by lush summer canopy.
  • Red trails: Test yourself with technical climbs, descents and engaging obstacles through dense, vibrant forest.
  • Epic downhill action: Brace yourself for 14 exhilarating downhill trails, packed with drops, jumps, and berms to get your adrenaline pumping.
  • Dedicated Skills Areas: Practice and progress in our graded skills zones, ideal for sharpening your technique.
  • Pump Track: Find your rhythm and smooth out your flow in the summer air.
  • Colliers Trail: The ultimate leisurely ride for families and beginners. Explore the wider forest and visit popular spots such as Beechenhurst and Mallards Pike – keep an eye out for wildlife and enjoy the forest at its summer best!

Your day, made easy

  • No bike? No problem! We have on-site bike hire available for all riders and trail types.
  • Maximise your runs by booking an uplift service for the day.
  • Unwind after your ride in our welcoming cafe, serving delicious food and drinks – perfect for a summertime refuel.
  • Stock up on essentials or grab some new gear at our on-site shop, ready for the season ahead.

Help us keep the trails awesome

Our incredible trail network is constantly evolving, thanks in large part to the hard work of the Dean Trail Volunteers (DTV). Get involved in a dig day or support their fundraising efforts by making a donation to help maintain and improve the trails.

Quality from start to finish

The Forest of Dean Cycle Centre is a quality assured visitor attraction, having been quality assessed by VisitEngland. Their quality logo is more than a stamp of approval – it's an assurance that every aspect of your visit, from arrival to departure, has been independently checked to high standards.

Visit England Quality Assured Visitor Attraction logo

At a glance

Our car park can get very busy at weekends. If the car park is full please park at Beechenhurst or Cannop Ponds. Do not park on verges or in gateways.
Noticed an issue on the trails? Please help us by reporting any maintenance problems to fodtrails@forestryengland.uk
Rider on cycling trail in the Forest of Dean

Current trail status

To make sure you have the best ride on our trails, we have a continuous schedule of trail maintenance and development. This means we sometimes have to close some of our trails. Before your visit, check which are open and which are closed.

What's on

Forest event
Once a fortnight on Wednesdays until the end of March
10:30am to 1pm
Forest of Dean Cycle Centre

Goals Beyond Grass are a Gloucestershire-based charity that works to provide inclusive sports across the county. Their programme GBG Bikes offers accessible bike hire at the Forest...

Forest event
Saturday 13 June

Now bigger, better and bolder, the FOD Women’s Takeover Day is back for its second year at the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre!

Our first ever Takeover Day last year had an amazing...

Forest event
Saturday 5 to Sunday 6 September
9am - 5pm
Forest of Dean Cycle Centre

The Hope WMN Enduro is returning to the Forest of Dean in 2026!

This sixth running of the Hope WMN Enduro will be the second in the Forest of Dean, all with that same chilled social...

Food and drink

Two children enjoying a hot chocolate with bikes in the background

Forest of Dean Cycle Centre Café

Serving freshly-prepared hot and cold food with locally sourced produce, pop in for a coffee and slice of home-made cake, delicious soup, or our famous loaded FOD burger.

With a family trail, green, blue and red graded cross-country trails and 14 more advanced downhill trails, the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre has something for everyone.

Brush up on...

Hiring a bike at the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre is the quickest way to get straight out onto the trails.

Our partners Pedalabikeaway offer on-site bike hire which means there is...

The Forest of Dean Cycle Centre is the perfect place to develop your riding technique, with trails and skills areas for all abilities. Whether you are an experienced rider, or if...

Gravel riding is the perfect way to explore the Forest of Dean, one of the UK’s largest ancient woodlands. Whether you’re an experienced rider, or just starting out, the Forest of...

Our work

A group of riders cycling in a forest, led by a woman with a baby

Our work and future projects

Our vision is to make the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre the most complete trail centre in the UK. We want to create a place that offers something for everyone, where anyone feels welcome to ride.
Mountain biker in mid air wearing full face helmet

Trail maps

Need some help getting around? Get ready for your next forest adventure by taking a look at our trail maps.

Nearby forests

A decorated stained glass pane hangs over a forest path.

Make the most of long, sunny days at Beechenhurst and enjoy the beauty of the Forest of Dean, one of Britain’s most iconic woodlands. Whether you’re seeking outdoor fun, fresh air...

A wooden boardwalk stretches over the water at Cannop Ponds. Blue sky with white fluffy clouds.

Cannop Ponds are two reservoirs within the Forest of Dean, originally created in 1820s to supply a waterwheel at Parkend Ironworks.

Today, they are used for fishing by the Yorkley...

An early morning view of the lake at Mallards Pike.

As the Forest of Dean reaches its peak, this beautiful lakeside setting is the perfect place to enjoy long, sunlit days, whether you’re after a peaceful escape or family‑friendly...

A family dressed in winter clothing looking out from Symonds Yat Rock viewpoint across the Wye Valley

Step into summer at Symonds Yat Rock, where rich green canopy, warm sunshine, and sweeping views across the River Wye create a truly unforgettable setting.

Whether you’re drawn by...

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